I want to thank you for your commitment to Berkshire Mediation Services. We understand that you are busy and appreciate your willingness to help the agency. Please take a few minutes to review this letter and see if you can help us move forward.
This has been a busy fall for us. Working with our talented trainers and mediators, we have
Trained twelve students and four teachers at Berkshire Country Day School to help them implement their peer mediation program;
Trained six students at McCann Tech in North Adams to be peer mediators for their school;
We trained a small group of business people and other adults in Basic Mediation, at the initiative of a business in Great Barrington;
Coordinated court programs in Great Barrington and North Adams;
Set up a mediation for a conflicted church in the eastern part of the state;
Trained 21 peer mediators at Nessacus Middle School in Dalton;
Located matching money funds to insure that the SCORE Peer Mediation Programs in the two middle schools in Pittsfield can continue;
Reapplied to be court providers through the Administrative Office of the Courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts;
Initiated working with a Juvenile Court referral, his family and his school;
Began working with an intern from McCann Tech who will help Jina at the office.
Now, we find ourselves in a challenging situation. My able assistant Jim has left to return to his home in the Midwest. Our funding has been reduced due to cuts in the SCORE program. Our negative cash flow through the summer months has made it impossible for our director to be paid. There is not enough in the budget to fill Jim’s position.
It has always been the goal of BMS to improve the quality of community in Berkshire County by providing the highest quality mediation training programs and services to the residents of the area. Without additional funding, we will be unable to do so. I am asking you to respond at this special time of year to make it possible for this excellent program to continue to grow and make mediation a part of how we work together around conflict.
Please reach into your hearts and wallets to help us continue helping people resolve their disputes in a peaceful, productive and empowering way that heals divisions and builds the community! Choose a category that you can afford, and help us to provide:
Wish list:
Three month half time Case Coordinator for BMS
$4,000
A computer system for the office
$1,000
One day of peer mediation training in a school for 20 students
$800
Student intern to help with office tasks (1 months)
$720
One teacher in-service program
$500
One parent-child mediation
$200
Internet service/six months
$180
Three training manuals
$100
Three pads of newsprint
$36
During this holiday season, we all hope for peace in a world stretched by conflict. You can make a difference right here where you live! We look forward to hearing from you and thank you in advance for your assistance.
*All donations are tax deductible, as BMS is a non-profit organization.
Please send all checks made out to Berkshire Mediation Services to our address above. We thank you for your support.
Cordially,
Jina Ford, Executive Director, Lead Trainer, Case Coordinator
